


Shared Pain, Shared Affection

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Series: DouWata 30 Day OTP Challenge [13]
Category: xxxHoLic
Genre: Food Poisoning, Holding Hands, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sickfic, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-13
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-14 14:18:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4567692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sickfic + holding hands, DouWata style. (That's basically all.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shared Pain, Shared Affection

**Author's Note:**

> A combination of personal favourites and an old 30 Day Challenge I've done before. Sickfic, and holding hands. <3
> 
> I do not own _xxxHolic_. Thanks for reading!

"Oh, God."

Watanuki was frozen where he stood, trying to ignore the trembling in his hands and the retching noises from nearby. Doumeki hadn't been sick earlier, Watanuki was sure, and the oaf had practically inhaled lunch earlier. But now apparently, he was, and throwing up over the sidelines of the field.

Why did bad things always happen in gym class?

He closed his eyes briefly and jogged over to him, Himawari two steps ahead of him and reaching Doumeki first.

"Doumeki-kun, are you okay??"

Watanuki stopped next to her, eyes flicking across Doumeki's face. He was pale, and sweaty, and looked absolutely horrible, really, and yeah, he definitely hadn't looked like that earlier.

Doumeki braced a hand on his knees, and held up his free one. "Fine," he rasped, out of breath.

"No, you're not!" Watanuki interrupted. "You're not going to go back to gym like that."

"I'm-" Doumeki gagged and pressed his hand over his mouth, eyes fluttering closed.

"No, you're not!" Watanuki repeated. "Himawari-chan, tell the teacher we're going to the nurse." Because if Doumeki was allowed to drag him out of gym class the day he passed out, Watanuki was allowed to drag Doumeki out if he was throwing up, simple as that.

"Okay!"

To be fair, Watanuki thought, eyeing Doumeki as they walked to the nurse's office, Doumeki complained a whole lot less than Watanuki would have, had he been conscious when he passed out back then.

"... So, what's wrong with you?" Watanuki grumbled, glancing up at him.

Doumeki shook his head slightly, like chasing away a fly. "Don't know." He broke off, pressing his hand against his mouth again.

Watanuki stepped away, narrowing his eyes. "If you're gonna puke, do it before we get inside."

It was meant to be a twisted form of teasing, but it must have set Doumeki off, and he staggered a few feet away to be sick again.

Watanuki's frown grew. "What's wrong with you??"

"I don't-"

Watanuki resisted the urge to plug his ears. He wasn't particularly squeamish, but the noises were... well. It wasn't pleasant. Although it was definitely more unpleasant for Doumeki, he reasoned, and sidled up to Doumeki's side after a moment. "Ugh, you-" He cringed himself, and his hand landed on Doumeki's back before he realized what he was doing, "are absolutely disgusting," he grumbled, half-heartedly, idly rubbing the heel of his hand against Doumeki's sweaty back. "I didn't think you were sick, you inhaled my lunch like-"

His hand still as he thought about that. Lunch. Doumeki had been fine before lunch, or else he wouldn't have eaten, or at least, not with as much fervour as he had, and now he was sick _after_ lunch...

"... Was it my food?" Watanuki narrowed his eyes, thinking. They'd all had the same thing, him, Himawari-chan, and Doumeki, but Doumeki was the only one who'd gotten sick.

Doumeki shook his head. "No."

"But you were fine before lunch, and the only thing you had was my bento..."

Doumeki's head shaking grew a little in intensity. "No, I..." He coughed, and rubbed the back of his hand against his mouth. "We had cooking, today."

"Cooking? Oh, in home-ec?" Watanuki paused. "Wait, did you poison yourself in home-ec??"

Doumeki _almost_ scowled, straightening up. Watanuki's hand fell from Doumeki's back and, had he really been so absent-mindedly comforting him in the middle of the school yard? Watanuki groaned a bit and held his hands behind his back.

"Wasn't me. My classmates cooked."

"Are you sure that's what it is?"

Doumeki shrugged a bit. He looked miserable. "Don't know."

Watanuki sighed. "Whatever. You can't stay out here, let's get to the nurse."

Doumeki dogged his footsteps to the school and down the halls without another word, although he seemed a step behind, and wobbly by the time he sank onto the bed in the office.

"Are you gonna need the trash can or something?" Watanuki wrinkled his nose.

"Dunno." Doumeki flopped back into the pillow, and threw one arm over his eyes and the other over his stomach.

Watanuki sighed again, and brought the trash can over just in case before - after glancing around - placing himself in the chair next to the bed. "... Well, turnabout is fair play," he announced shortly, and crossed his arms.

Doumeki glanced at him from under his arm.

"Well, if I had to be in that bed that one time, then it's only fair that you got to get sick for it to happen to you, too!"

Doumeki didn't look amused, and uttered an "oh" before closing his eyes again. Somehow, the "victory" seemed petty. Maybe it was in the way that Doumeki's fingers seized around his own shirt, internalizing whatever pain he was feeling.

Watanuki inhaled sharply and looked away. "Give me your hand." He didn't look back at him, but he could feel Doumeki's eyes suddenly on him again. Watanuki held out his hand. "Well, it's supposed to help pain management, right. Or make you feel better. So." He was studiously not looking at him.

There was a long pause, and then Doumeki reached over to tangle his fingers with Watanuki's.

Watanuki let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding, and finally looked back at Doumeki, who had vanished beneath his arm again. Maybe he was just giving Watanuki an out for not having to make eye contact, he wasn't sure. But, it was good.

Watanuki smiled faintly and ran his thumb against the back of Doumeki's hand idly, and didn't break the silence that wasn't at all uncomfortable.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to be busy with friends this weekend, so I won't be able to update again until Sunday/Monday. Stay tuned!
> 
> Also, to my KH followers: Happy AkuRoku Day!!!


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